


Perspective

by esteefee



Category: Books of the Raksura - Martha Wells
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-19 21:20:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5981328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esteefee/pseuds/esteefee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Moon is in a bad mood, but there are worse things in the Three Worlds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Perspective

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pentapus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pentapus/gifts).



> ...a small thank you for the wonderful [postcard of Moon](http://pentapoda.tumblr.com/post/137314394943/a-more-complete-look-at-the-postcards-i-drew-while) pentapus sent me from Queenstown, NZ!
> 
> Beta by em-kellesvig (mischief5)
> 
> Warnings: at bottom.

Moon had to admit that one of the nice things about being a consort was when he was in a bad mood, at least the Arbora and Aeriat left him alone. And he was in a really bad mood. Seemed like everyone had an opinion on what a consort was best at, or what a consort was good for, or what a consort was supposed to act like, and all those opinions were contradictory and fit Moon about as well as a grasseater's skin. 

But one thing everyone seemed to agree on was consorts were moody, so Moon took advantage and disappeared. All he had to do was duck Chime and head to his favorite branch overlooking the nursery platform. 

It was yellow fruit season, too—just his luck. He snagged one as he landed and then hooked his footclaws on the branch while he relaxed under the canopy and ate up his fruit. Below him, on the platform, he could see Frost, Thorn, and Bitter playing in a small knot, separate from the other fledglings. Moon shook his head. It would have been nice if the Sky Copper younglings felt comfortable enough to mingle with the Indigo Cloud clutches, but maybe they weren't ready yet. Bitter still barely spoke to anyone, although he'd sometimes whisper to Moon, papery requests for treats or to be flown places, making Moon feel warmed by the privilege.

Right now, the three clutchmates were giggling and whispering over something that had all their attention. Moon grabbed a branch and leaned closer, trying to see what had captured their interest so. A flash of bright blue and orange had him hissing in shock, his spines flaring. 

It was a tlek. The bright blue and orange markings on the venomous creature's back were unmistakable. And right now, Frost had the small viper on her arm and was trilling as if it were a fledgling. She wasn't even in her Raksura form, not that it would make a difference—the tlek's fangs were sharp enough to bite through even the toughest scales. 

Moon finally unfroze and pushed off from the branch to glide down to the platform. He didn't really have a plan, but every instinct was urging him to protect the clutch now-now-now. He landed far short and shifted into groundling form to be as unthreatening as possible before strolling up to the small group.

Frost lifted her head and beamed at him, raising her arm. "Look, Moon. Isn't she pretty?"

Moon eyed the tlek and forced a smile. "Very colorful," he said. "But put her down for now, Frost. It's time for lunch." _Please. **Please** , put her down._

"But we're having fun!" Thorn said.

"We don't want to go!" Frost's frills went up, and the creature's spines rose as well. 

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay. It's just that I had something really special planned. A secret, special thing," Moon said. He shrugged. "But you can stay here and play if you want."

"Oh! In that case," Frost said. "But can we bring Iris?" 

Moon shook his head solemnly. "Royal clutches only." He was going to pay for all this lying later, but at the moment, he didn't give a damn. 

Frost heaved a put upon sigh. Moon held his breath. Bitter nodded and came over to climb up Moon's leg. Thorn looked suspicious but did the same. Frost bent down, and Moon watched helplessly as she nudged the tlek off her arm with one claw-tipped finger. The tlek froze for a moment then scurried away to disappear under a bush. 

Swearing in relief, Moon grabbed Frost up and hugged all three fledglings to him until they started squirming and complaining.

"What's wrong?" Thorn said, shifting into groundling and pushing at Moon's chest.

"What about the surprise? What's the surprise?" Frost said.

Bitter just squirmed higher and wrapped his arms around Moon's neck. Moon nuzzled his cheek, so grateful for a moment he couldn't breathe. Then he sat down with all three of them and arranged them so he could look into their faces. 

"I know you liked Iris, but she was a tlek. They're poisonous. One bite and she would have killed you."

After a shocked moment of silence, Thorn started crying. Moon petted his head. 

"No, she wouldn't," Frost said, hitting Moon on the arm. 

"I want you to remember her colors and the way she smelled. Usually tleks stay on the forest floor. I was surprised to see one this high."

"She wouldn't," Frost said, sounding much less sure now, tears starting down her face. Bitter clutched Moon's neck tighter. Moon didn't care about breathing, or the wet mess Thorn was making of his shirt, or Frost's high-pitched keening threatening to pierce his eardrums. 

And he sure wasn't in a bad mood anymore.

"But what about our surprise?" Frost asked after she calmed down, and Moon wanted to bang his head against the mountain-tree's trunk until he shook his brains loose. 

"That was the surprise," Moon said. "You didn't get bitten by the venomous tlek. Surprise!" 

Frost showed her teeth but Bitter snuffled a laugh against Moon's neck. 

"Oh, you like that, do you?" Moon said. He pushed himself to his feet, wobbling a little under the fledglings' weight. "Well, come on—it really is time for lunch, and if we're lucky, there will be yellow fruit cobbler for dessert."

"What's a cobble?" Bitter whispered.

"You'll find out," Moon said. "And then you'll thank me."

"I bet I'll get there first," Frost said.

"No way," said Thorn, and with that they both shifted and leapt from Moon's arms, leaving him to rub at the scuffs on his pants. 

"Ready to fly?" Moon said to Bitter, who nodded and tucked his head under Moon's chin, his arms wrapped tight around Moon's chest.

Moon shifted and took to the sky.

 

................................  
February 9, 2016  
San Francisco, CA

**Author's Note:**

> Warning for child momentarily in danger.


End file.
